Long time, no see! My excuses are the same as always: too much work, too busy, not enough time, don't have the energy. I've tried to spend the little free time I've had usefully: I've been working on my garden and cleaning the house. I've weeded perennial beds, organized my clothes, vacuumed, taken the rugs out. In short, I've been looking for order, which is why I read the much-hyped Life-changing Magic of Tidying by Marie Kondo the other day. My two cents: the book provides some interesting ideas (never clean just a little bit at a time / disorder comes from stuff not having its own place / visualize your ideal home, and then create it), but the overall writing style is infuriatingly patronizing - although I am not sure if the latter is the Finnish translation's fault. It also amazed me that although a crucial part of the book has to do with culling and letting go of things, it hardly mentions recycling. Who in this day and age talks about throwing things away?

I suspect that my recent craving for order might have something to do with my attempt to keep up with current affairs more closely. The on-going debate regarding the refugee situation in Europe has been troubling me greatly. The world seems more volatile than usual, there is so much commotion going on in this part of the world and that, and the social media's response to everything is convoluted and agitated at best. The general mood is unpredictable, and I don't like it. I've spent evenings watching Hercule Poirot and the Australian hit show Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. I admire the effortless elegance of the 1920s and 30s styles, the luxurious fabrics, and Miss Fisher's robes and her short dark bob. It's escapism at its best.

12 comments:

I, also, found the Tidying book disappointing, after the hype it received. In English it is just a bit too precious. The concept of eliminating the excess is a good one. I think, perhaps, we need a second person involved to make that happen.

Have just discovered Miss fisher! Such panache. Such self-confidence. Such clothes!

I totally agree, eliminating the excess is a good thing. It just really shocked me that the Finnish translation talked about "throwing things away" as opposed to recycling/donating what you don't need. Just out of interest, does the English version mention recycling at all?

Miss Fisher is wonderful, isn't she! I can't get over how beautiful the clothes are! :)

I can't remember if there was any emphasis on recycling. The push was ELIMINATE STUFF! With which I agree. I know for myself there is a definite limit to how well I can organize/neaten/streamline the existing stash. It is so hard to get rid of things. The inertia wears you down. The lack of hope for change.It really does need a second person to come along side and provide encouragement.

I agree on the patronizing aspect of Marie Kondo's book. I also think it's unreasonable to think people won't go back to whatever habits make them messy or buy too much crap. It's nice that she thinks that will break those patterns but it takes more than evaluating why things you currently have work for you or not. I'd really like to see where die hard fans are in a year or more. I do like some of her folding tips though.

Very true, Kondo's attitude is like "trust me, this will change your life"... but there is nothing else but her reassurance to make the reader feel like things will change. The reader has to go with blind trust, really. I agree that some of the folding tips are pretty good, although the logic behind them (otherwise the clothes will feel bad) is a little silly. :)